This invention pertains to a carton for carrying a plurality of similar articles and, more particularly, relates to a carton for packaging a plurality of bottles containing a light sensitive product. Cartons for carrying bottles and the like are well-known in the prior art, such as, for example, as shown in patent U.S. Pat. No. 3,670,950. Also, a number of cartons have been developed for carrying light sensitive liquids, such as beer. Examples of such cartons are shown in patents U.S. Pat. No. 3,688,972; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,692,232. Such prior art cartons suffer from several serious deficiencies to which the present invention is addressed.
One deficiency of the prior art cartons is that they almost invariably contain openings, or finger grip accesses, through one of the major walls of the carton which enable light to enter to some extent. When light sensitive materials are packaged in the bottles contained by the carton, such light entry can seriously damage, or shorten the shelf life of, the packaged materials. Another serious disdvantage of the prior art cartons is that, almost invariably, the finger grip access openings are provided in the top wall of the carton, subjecting the sides of the openings to direct sheer forces when the carton is carried. These sheer forces dictate the use of a heavy weight board to ensure that the carton does not tear away from the customer's hand. In an effort to solve this problem some prior art cartons have included a double thickness of paperboard in the vicinity of the finger grips. However, each layer has been permitted to function independently of the other layer giving rise to the possibility that one layer alone could be subjected to the entire weight of the carbon and its contents. These deficiencies of the prior art have resulted in cartons of a significantly heavier weight paperboard than made possible by the present invention.
Another disadvantage of prior art cartons, which are to some extent meant to be closed to light, is that opening them usually involves either tearing away large sections of the carton or completely mutilating the carton so that it essentially ceases to function as a closable container once opened. As will be seen, one feature of the present invention includes provisions for easily opening the carton and reclosing same after part of the contents are removed.